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21 Mar 2018

Nearly one-half of women in Nova Scotia report having been sexually harassed

Overall, three in ten Nova Scotia residents have experienced sexual harassment, with approximately one-half of women having experienced such an incident

One in eight residents have been sexually harassed within the last five years, with two in ten women having experienced such an incident during that time frame

The likelihood of experiencing sexual harassment in Nova Scotia is slightly higher than that of Atlantic Canada overall

HALIFAX, NS March 21, 2018: Three in ten Nova Scotia residents report having experienced sexual harassment, with nearly one-half of women in the province experiencing such an incident in their lifetime, according to the most recent survey conducted by Corporate Research Associates Inc.

Recently, there has been considerable public discussion on the topic of harassment. To better understand the prevalence in Nova Scotia, residents were asked when, if at all, they last experienced sexual harassment. Overall, three in ten (31%) Nova Scotians indicate that they have been sexually harassed, with one in eight (13%) having most recently experienced sexual harassment within the last five years, and two in ten (18%) having most recently experienced such an incident five years ago or more. Meanwhile, seven in ten (69%) of residents have never been sexually harassed.

At the same time, approximately one-half (48%) of women in Nova Scotia indicate that they have been sexually harassed, with two in ten (20%) women having most recently experienced sexual harassment within the last five years, and three in ten (28%) having most recently experienced such an incident five years ago or more. Meanwhile, approximately one-half (52%) of women report never having been sexually harassed.

The likelihood of experiencing sexual harassment in Nova Scotia is slightly higher than that of Atlantic Canada overall (26% of residents overall, and 41% of women).

“Although the incidence of sexual harassment reported, particularly among women, is significant, it may not be as high as some might have expected,” said Don Mills, Chairman and CEO of Corporate Research Associates. “The results nonetheless serve to underscore the ongoing need to address the long-standing societal problem.”

These results are part of the CRAAtlantic Quarterly®, an independent, quarterly telephone survey of Atlantic Canadians, and are based on a telephone sample of 384 adult Nova Scotians, conducted from February 1 to 25, 2018, with overall results accurate to within ± 5.0 percentage points, 95 out of 100 times.

Corporate Research Associates (CRA), www.cra.ca, is one of Canada’s leading public opinion and market research companies. Founded in 1978, CRA is dedicated to providing clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services. CRA is a Certified Gold Seal Member of the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA), which sets stringent standards as a condition of membership, and enforces those standards through independent audits. Follow us on Twitter @CRAInsight.